Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
As chief of Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety (DPS), the safety and well-being of every member of our campus community is my top priority. Educating the campus community on crime prevention and how to respond in the event of a crisis situation is critically important to providing a safe living, learning and working environment.
That is why I am reaching out to you today. In light of last week’s incident at The Ohio State University (OSU), I encourage you to watch this video, which was created by the City of Houston. It is a helpful introduction to what’s known as the “Run. Hide. Fight.” model, to which Syracuse University subscribes.
Though many of you may have been previously unfamiliar with the expression “Run. Hide. Fight.” I suspect you heard about it on the news last week. Those three words were communicated—via OSU’s Buckeye Alert—to its campus community during what it believed to be an active shooter incident.
In the event of an immediate threat to our community, DPS will urge you to run, hide or fight. So, what does that mean?
RUN
- Have an escape route and plan in mind.
- Leave your belongings behind.
- Keep your hands visible.
HIDE
- If you can’t escape, hide in an area out of the shooter’s view.
- Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors.
- Silence your cell phone and other devices.
FIGHT
- Fighting is a last resort to be used only when your life is in imminent danger.
- Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter.
- Find an object to use as a weapon, such as a fire extinguisher or chair.
Please take a few moments to review the video. Being prepared and ready to act is key to responding to any immediate threat.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or another member of the DPS team.
Sincerely,
Chief Bobby Maldonado
Department of Public Safety